Virginia Drops Requirements for Churches to Hire Non-Christians, Fund ‘Sex Reassignment’ and ‘Gender Affirming’ Surgeries

Calvary Road Church

A lawsuit brought by religious and faith-based organizations against Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares was settled on Monday, with the parties forming a settlement that drops a requirement for the groups to hire non-Christians.

The conclusion of Cavalry Road Baptist Church v. Miyares was announced by the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), whose attorneys represented two Virginia churches, three Christian schools and a pregnancy center network.

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Commentary: Rapidly Declining Mainline Church Seeks to Require Ministers to Support Transgenderism, Gay Marriage

Woman Pastor

The Presbyterian Church (USA) has permitted, but not required, its ministers to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies since 2014. But that allowance is no longer sufficient for the progressive denomination; it now aims to mandate that future ministers affirm transgenderism and same-sex marriage as prerequisites for ordination. At its General Assembly this June, the denomination will take up legislation that would implement that requirement.

The Presbyterian Church (USA)’s proposed requirement stands out for its inclusion of affirmation for transgenderism alongside same-sex marriage. Specifically, it does so by adding “gender identity” and “sexual orientation” to its list of groups protected from discrimination, included in “worship, governance, and emerging life.” The proposal would also change the denomination’s “[s]tandards for ordained service” to make it obligatory for ministry candidates to pledge adherence to this principle of “non-discrimination.”

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Pope Francis Decries Transgenderism as ‘Ugliest Danger,’ Urges Embracing Differences Between Sexes

Pope Francis

Pope Francis is delivering another robust denunciation of liberal transgender ideology sweeping the West, declaring it was the “ugliest danger” while urging the world to embrace the differences between men and women.

“Erasing differences is erasing humanity,” the pontiff declared Friday in Rome. “Men and woman, however, are in a fruitful tension.”

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California Bills Would Remove Visitation Rights for Parents Who Don’t ‘Affirm’ Child’s Gender Identity

Democrats in the state of California continue to double down on their support for transgenderism, and have now introduced legislation that would forbid parents from even seeing their child if they do not support the child’s “gender identity.”

As reported by the Washington Free Beacon, Democrats in the state legislature have introduced two new bills, both of which would change California family law by making “gender affirmation” a part of children’s health, safety, and welfare. The first bill would grant judges the authority to take away custody from parents who do not “affirm” their child’s gender identity, while the second bill would force judges who are considering granting custody rights to take into consideration “a parent’s affirmation of the child’s gender identity or gender expression.”

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Commentary: Societies That Surrender Moral Foundation Historically Self-Destruct

Despite its origins in the historic Stonewall Riots of 1969, “Pride Month,” which concluded last week, has devolved into a manifestation of moral decay in 2023.

The proliferation of the transgenderism movement, fueled by Marxist ideologies, within our public education system is concerning enough. However, the decision to dedicate an entire month to celebrate moral degradation is a step too far. While I am not advanced in years, I never envisioned a day where transvestites would lecture us on human biology, or sterilizers would pose as health professionals advocating for human rights. It seems that our nation has descended into a state of utter madness, where men can now claim pregnancy and the number of genders rivals the alphabet.

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Exclusive: Inside Source Details Extreme Messaging from Far-Left Planning Session

An inside source Friday provided The Tennessee Star with more details from a June 28 meeting hosted by radical members of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) in Nashville. 

Earlier this week, The Star reported on the event, where an inside source provided secretly obtained audio recordings from a portion of the meeting. But what was not caught on audio, the source explained, was far more radical than what was caught on audio. 

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom Claims Florida Gov. DeSantis ‘Weaponized’ Issue of Men Competing in Women’s Sports

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom of California claimed Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida was among those who “weaponized” the issue of men competing in women’s sports.

“I think the trans issue has — has come on as a more divisive issue in the context, particularly of sports, where it’s also been weaponized, and issues around pronouns,” Newsom said during a Wednesday interview with Fox 11 reporter Elex Michaelson. “I remember the first time I was on Zoom, and all of a sudden I saw these different pronouns. And that even took me, I was like, ‘What’s this?’ I didn’t fully understand that.”

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Catholic Org Launches Initiative Encouraging Parents to Revolt Against Sexually Explicit, Transgender Books

A Catholic organization is launching a campaign through the month of June that encourages parents to revolt against books containing sexually explicit and transgenderism content offered to children in public libraries as a part of Pride Month.

CatholicVote, a nonprofit conservative advocacy group, is promoting its second annual “Hide the Pride” campaign, which encourages parents to visit their local libraries and check out as many books as they can that “push eroticism, glorify LGBTQ identities, undermine parental rights and are 100% contrary to the Church’s teaching on love and sexuality” in an effort to prevent others from accessing them, the organization told the Daily Caller News Foundation. Parents joining the campaign are encouraged to participate in groups and request that librarians take their Pride Month display down, the campaign information stated.

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Commentary: Transgenderism and the Contemporary Church

“The church’s response to those who identify as transgender,” Andrew T. Walker writes, “must be, immediately and with integrity, ‘You are welcome here. You are loved here.’”

This position reflects the broad inclinations of contemporary evangelicals, who generally seek to intentionally love and welcome those in the transgender movement. Though scripturally grounded churches may disagree with much of transgender ideology, they still strive to love those within the movement.

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Embattled Gender Clinic Reportedly Refused to Remove Child’s Puberty Blocker Implant Despite Mother’s Pleas

The Washington University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital pressured a 14-year-old boy’s mother to consent to a puberty blocker implant and, when his mental health drastically declined, refused to take it out, according to The Free Press.

Casey began experimenting with his gender identity at age 13 and had no prior history of gender confusion, but when he visited the center at age 14 for counseling he was rushed onto puberty blockers, his mother, Caroline, told The Free Press. Medical professionals downplayed the seriousness of the drug’s infertility risk and hyped up the risk of suicide in front of her child to pressure her to consent to the drugs, she told the outlet.

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Politically Diverse Groups Back Free Speech at Pitt After Pennsylvania Lawmakers Urge Event Cancellation

After two Pennsylvania lawmakers last week called for cancelling upcoming conservative appearances at the University of Pittsburgh, a politically diverse array of voices are responding in favor of free speech. 

Representatives Jessica Benham (D-Carrick) and Malcolm Kenyatta (D-Philadelphia), who co-chair the state House LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus, denounced the state-related university for permitting the presence of speakers who oppose liberal views of transgenderism. The guests they find objectionable include Cabot Phillips, senior editor of the The Daily Wire news organization, who is scheduled to speak this Friday; Riley Gaines, a former college swimmer and critic of biological males competing in women’s sports, who will appear on March 27; and Michael Knowles, a Daily Wire commentator, who will debate transgender economist Deirdre McCloskey on April 18. All speakers are being sponsored by student-led associations. 

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Commentary: Disney Has It All

Gone are the days when parents could turn on the Disney Channel or a Disney movie and walk away. A new 50-minute documentary called Walt’s Disenchanted Kingdom exposes the radical agenda pushed by Disney to indoctrinate America’s children.

“Once upon a time, if it was a Disney movie, you knew it was going to be safe for children,” Media Research Center founder and President L. Brent Bozell III states at the beginning of this revealing documentary.

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Anti-Child Mutilation Protest in Nashville Draws Far-Left Counter Protestors

An anti-child mutilation protest of an estimated 1,000 people held on Friday afternoon in Nashville that featured a long list of Republican speakers and child rights activists also brought out a smaller group of far-left counter protesters.

“‘Gender-affirming care’ is neither affirming nor care,” says an invite to the rally. “In September, The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh unveiled an alarming report on the use of irreversible—and harmful puberty blockers, cross sex hormones, and surgeries on healthy children at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN. Children should be able to trust their doctors, but are instead at the mercy of a destructive ideology led by activists.”

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Debbie Lesko Demands Answers on Biden Administration Gender Ideology Training for Schools

Arizona Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-AZ-08) recently sent a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona, requesting information regarding gender ideology training for schools.

“The Biden Administration will stop at nothing to impose the gender ideology of the radical left in our nation’s schools,” Lesko said in a press release. “As the founder of the Protect Kids Caucus, I am requesting answers from the Department of Education [DOE] to ensure that schools are not forced to provide this training or promote gender ideology to young students without parental notice and consent.”

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Petition Filed to Stop Harpeth Hall from Admitting Boys

After an elite all-girls school in Nashville decided that it would admit and retain any boy that identifies as a girl, a group of school community members have started circulating a petition in hopes that the school will reconsider. 

“We are writing to you today on behalf of a significant number of current parents, former parents, and alumnae … Adopting a policy that invites application to Harpeth Hall by anyone other than females is a critical change in the structure of the school, and by extension, has a major impact on our daughters,” the petitioners said. 

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‘Queer All School Year’: Los Angeles School District Forces Gender Theory into Classroom

The largest public school district in California is teaching a curriculum promoting transgenderism and gender theory to children, according to public documents.

The Human Relations, Diversity and Equity department at Los Angeles Unified School District is using presentations, training programs and clubs to instruct K-12 students on gender identity, according to public documents, first reported by City Journal that include classroom instruction materials and district-sponsored event calendars. The “trans-affirming” curriculum first appeared during the 2020-2021 academic school year.

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Ohio Senate Dems Push ‘Fairness’ Act on ‘Trans Day of Visibility’

The Ohio Senate Democrats Thursday marked their party’s holiday – the “Transgender Day of Visibility” – by peddling what is called the “Ohio Fairness Act.”

“Today is #TransDayOfVisibility and Ohio Senate Democrats are committed to creating policies that protect the safety and wellbeing of all Ohioans,” the group said. “Passing the #OhioFairnessAct, introduced by [State Sen. Nickie Antonio (D-District 23)], will ban discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation, creating a more safe and inclusive Ohio.”

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University of Virginia Women’s Swimmer Takes Second to Biological Male in National Championship

A University of Virginia Women’s Swimmer took home second place in the NCAA national championship Thursday, finishing behind controversial biologically male, transgender swimmer Lia Thomas of the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn). 

Freshman Emma Weyant was the fastest female swimmer in the 500 meter race, but that was not enough to win the women’s national championship. 

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TikTok Bans ‘Misgendering’ and ‘Deadnaming’ to Promote ‘Safety’ and ‘Security’

TikTok is banning users from “misgendering” and “deadnaming” others in an effort to improve the social media platform, the company announced Tuesday.

The company announced the new policies in updated community guidelines released Tuesday, saying it will now explicitly ban certain practices classified under the umbrella of “hateful ideologies.”

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Democrats Seek Removal of Sex Designation from Pennsylvania Birth Certificates

Pennsylvania state Reps. Benjamin Sanchez (D-Abington) and Joe Webster (D-Collegeville) are planning to introduce a bill to remove male and female designations from Pennsylvania birth certificates.

The two Montgomery-County lawmakers say their proposal would not affect notations of biological sex on the U.S. Standard Certificate of Live Birth system that is used to gather medical and other statistics.

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Social Justice Groups Demand Netflix Pull Down Dave Chappelle Special over ‘Anti-Trans’ Content

Social justice groups are up in arms Thursday over what they have labeled “anti-transgender” bigotry from comedian Dave Chappelle, who recently released a new Netflix special called “The Closer.” 

In part of his standup routine, he discusses cancel culture, and how author J.K. Rowling was “cancelled” for an essay she wrote defending the idea of biological sex. For that, she was labeled a “Trans-exclusionary Radical Feminist” (TERF).

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Loudoun County Teacher Resigns in Protest at School Board Meeting

Laura Morris

A Loudoun County teacher resigned in protest Tuesday night after telling the School Board that its rules promoting transgender ideologies did not comport with her Christian faith. 

“School Board, I quit. I quit your policies, I quit your trainings, and I quit being a cog in a machine that tells me to push highly-politicized agendas on our most vulnerable constituents – the children,” a teacher who identified herself as Laura Morris said, fighting back tears. “I will find employment elsewhere. I encourage all parents and staff in this county to flood the private schools.”

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Commentary: Why Are Defense Department Schools Transitioning Students’ Gender Behind Parents’ Backs?

DODEA Schools Transgenderism

Our men and women in uniform are prepared to lay their lives on the line every day to uphold the Constitution and protect the nation from enemies who would do us harm, but what many service members may not realize is that a personal threat to their families exists much closer to home.

As parental outrage with “progressive” curriculums—for example, comprehensive sex education, gender identity, and “anti-racist” programs—sweeps across the country, military parents have good reasons to be up in arms.

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ASU Professor Says Parents Should Lose Veto Power Over Children’s Transgender Medical Decisions

An Arizona State University (ASU) professor asserts that parents shouldn’t have a say when it comes to their children’s transgender medical decisions. These sentiments appeared in an article by ASU assistant philosophy professor and bioethicist Maura Priest, published early last month by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Priest argues that only the child can decide what’s best for them when it comes to medical treatments for transitioning genders. 

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Tennessee House Moves on Gender Transition Bill: Prepubescent Minors Prohibited, Postpubescent Minors Granted with Three Physician Recommendations

Tennessee legislators are moving to ban prepubescent gender transitions, and limit postpubescent minors’ eligibility for gender transitions. The Tennessee House Criminal Justice Subcommittee voted to recommend the bill for passage on Wednesday. State Representative John Ragan (R-Oak Ridge) introduced the bill.

In addition to prohibiting all gender transitions for prepubescent minors, the bill would allow gender transitions for postpubescent minors only with the consent of their parents and recommendation of three doctors, the third doctor being a child psychiatrist. Exceptions for gender transition treatments would be made for those with any confirmed diagnosis of abnormal genitalia, genetic anomalies, physical disease with life-threatening consequences in the absence of intervention, and an accident irreparably mutilating genitalia. 

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Rep. Green Co-Sponsors Bill to Save Women’s Sports

Republicans in the U.S. House, including one from Tennessee, are stepping in to try to stop President Joe Biden from essentially ending women’s sports. 

“Sports are based on the idea of fair competition. Allowing biological males to compete in women’s sports destroys a level playing field and denies women an equal opportunity,” Rep. Mark Green (R-TN-07) said on Twitter. “Today, I cosponsored [Rep. Greg Steube’s] bill to protect the integrity of women’s sports.”

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POLL: Three-Quarters of All Battleground Voters Say ‘No’ to Men Competing in Women’s Sports

American Principles Project and SPRY Strategies released polling results this week from 10 presidential election battleground states. In the July 2020 survey, on average 74.8 percent of voters said, “No” and only 25.2 percent said, “Yes” when asked: “Should boys and men who say they identify as transgender be allowed to compete in girls’ and women’s athletics?”

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